Game's End
by AsianScaper
Summary: A few years after ENDGAME, Chakotay visits Admiral Janeway in her office.


**Title:**_ Game's End  
_

**Author:** AsianScaper (LJ Username: frogfrizz)

**Fandom:** Star Trek: Voyager

**Characters:** Janeway, Chakotay

**Rating:** PG

**Summary:** A few years after _Endgame_, Chakotay visits Admiral Janeway in her office.

**Disclaimer:** ST: VOY ain't mine. A/N -- A bit of a nostalgic romp for good ol' Trekkie me.

* * *

The sun's reflection shone against the bay, waves awash with its light as the noise of distant hovercraft bit through the air, rivaling the squawks of sea gulls. The sight drained her of her imagination and she set aside her mug, pressing her fingers against her temples as memory assaulted her senses and forced her to sit.

The sight of the bay amused her into a contemplative silence. It was a silence that she had gotten used to while staring off into space. But now, she found herself standing steady on dry land, calling it home.

Even after all these years, the word tasted strange on her tongue. Home. Here she was on Earth but Home had been on a ship, with people canned together like sardines. Before they knew it, home became the company they kept; then they realized that their mission to Earth unified them. Made things bearable.

Kathryn Janeway wasn't one to take memories for granted; the glass office High Command had assigned to her had been a generous gift of space. She had outfitted it with the same Voyager colors, the same plush chairs, with the vast improvement of actual sunlight seeping through her windows.

"Admiral?" a voice interrupted, the doors hissing and heralding her personal aide's arrival.

"What is it, Lieutenant?"

Lieutenant Jim Sinclair entered cautiously. Janeway had expected the young lieutenant to tire of his office: of running her errands and making her coffee. But he hadn't. Instead, he was by her side every day, poured her black coffee at five hour intervals, and smiled at her whenever the occasion called for it.

The boy was a spitting image of his father and reminded her mildly of Tom Paris, except Jimmy wasn't cut for deep space and liked doing administration work. A job he did, only for the Admiral.

Admiral Sinclair also had a penchant for keeping his son occupied on Sundays and preferred him planet-side.

She looked up, noticing that Jim Sinclair had not spoken. She noticed his agitation.

"Uh, Admiral," he began, clearing his throat. "There's…uh, there's someone here to see you."

She indulged him with the same smile she reserved for her best officers.

"Bring him in, Jimmy."

"Yes, ma'am."

It was habit, like a talisman. She activated the holo-picture of Voyager's crew. During their momentous arrival, Harry had the good sense to take it before any of them had stepped off the ship. Tuvok upon hearing about Janeways' promotion after the celebrations, had the holo-picture installed permanently on her desk.

She fancied 'encounters' in her office, much like her days on Voyager's bridge. Having the crew with her, however symbolically, was a comfort. They all smiled at her now, and nostalgia made the room swirl.

Because one of those faces was looking at her unabashedly.

"Hello, Kathryn."

She managed a strangled cry as she stood from her place and welcomed the man with open arms. The tattoo on his face crinkled and he stepped readily into her space, accepting the embrace and lingering for longer than what was necessary.

Chakotay cleared his throat, studying her closely as he held her at arm's length.

"You haven't changed," he said.

"Oh, Chakotay," she managed, at a loss for words. "What are you doing in San Francisco?"

"Just dropping by." The excuse, seemingly shallow, wasn't lost on her. She didn't shoot him down for it and instead, offered him a seat, a hand on his shoulder in a most familiar way.

"It's nice to see you again, Commander," she told him formally, insisting on his former rank with emphasized sarcasm.

"And you, Captain."

"What are you doing in San Francisco?"

Chakotay's laugh was rich, reminding her of nights in Sandrine's, of strolls in hologram-mountains that he insisted she should take with him. Grumbling, she had joined him on Voyager's holodecks, all too hesitant to explore the outdoors but more than willing to share his company. He provided her with reprieve quite different from those vigorous work-outs with Seven or her cerebral efforts with her holo-novels.

Chakotay, a civilian now, fished into his pockets, retrieving a data PADD and handing it reverently to her.

"No," she admonished. "No, you shouldn't have."

"I thought I would," he said, looking very pleased with himself. He wasn't to be discouraged either.

"Somebody told me you needed a favor and I thought a few happy thoughts would do the trick."

"A favor?"

"Yes. The Doctor pressed me to see how you were doing."

Janeway sighed. "I suppose he knows about my terrible eating habits and my heightening caffeine addiction. Blame it on the beaurocracy, really."

"You've always had an uncanny ability to read minds," Chakotay joked.

"And I bet that wasn't all?"

"No. Seven," he paused a moment, watching for a reaction and receiving a meaningful look of interest, "sends her greetings. Or salutations, if I was to quote her directly."

She favored him with an affectionate hand on his knee. His tattoo adjusted to an expression of concern and they shared the silence like an old couple, at once familiar with each other and comfortable of the years between them. But it had not been too long ago that they found themselves on vacation, climbing mountains in Colorado and sharing many fond –and now funny –memories of New Earth.

Both sensed that they had been at the brink of revelation then, alone and unwatched in a remote natural preserve. But Janeway was Admiral and Chakotay had his wife.

He cleared his throat, "Admiralty suits you, Captain."

"It does, doesn't it?" She withdrew, leaning back. With her forefinger, she grabbed her coffee mug by the rim and pulled it to her almost desperately. She sipped but was quickly surprised at her own discourtesy, "I'm an awful host. Would you like anything? Coffee? There's more than I'd care to finish. Harry bothered to send me real beans. I haven't tasted anything quite as heavenly. Would you care to try?"

Chakotay blanched. "No thanks. Coffee tastes like leather. Just tea and make it green."

"As you wish," Janeway told him. "Admiralty does have its advantages, like my own replicator." Janeway walked across the room, ordering a mug of green tea from the replicator.

Taking the data PADD that Chakotay had given her, she synchronized its contents into her holo-projector, suddenly invaded by old emotions. The projected image was one that bothered her, gave her the most reassurance at times of great doubt: the one with Chakotay and her in civilian dress, on the foreground of scenery much like the one on New Earth.

Their hiking expedition in Colorado.

It was saturated with too many truths she was used to burying beneath protocol.

"It's our hiking expedition picture," he explained –not that he needed to –joining her beside her desk and mimicking a gesture of hers: putting a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"How many years has it been, Kath?" he whispered, looking into her eyes.

"Too many years, dear Chakotay. Too many years." There was sadness in the space between and neither of them spoke. She placed the steaming cup into his hands, her fingers lingering against his touch, as if to remind her that the man here with her was indeed her first officer.

She touched his face briefly, making sure to let go.

"I can't believe that I'd miss all of you as fiercely," she said softly, "even with all that technology running amok."

"I know, Kath. But the real thing just isn't the same."

"I'd have to agree with you on that, Chakotay."

"I guess the Doctor was right," Chakotay said, careful to keep his gaze friendly. "We both needed a dose of reality. And dare I say, a dose of each other?"

Janeway joined him on the couch, sitting in that same nonchalant way they used to when company was all that really mattered. He fetched her coffee mug and ceremoniously placed it in her hand.

"Well, I'd have to agree with our physician," Janeway said. She raised her drink. "I suppose I did need a break. Cheers, Commander."

"Salud, Captain."

And they clinked mugs.

* * *

THE END

* * *


End file.
